Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-07-21
MUD PIES VERSUS TURKEYS.
a Little Story OF Boy Who Thought
Girls .DOn't Know Nothing"

A Little Story OF a Boy Who Though
Girls "DOn't Know Nothing
"Now, Peter. stay at home this after
noon and keep an eye to the house. ant
the turkeys as well. There seem to III
indications of a shower. and you mus
he sure and not let the young turks &c
wet" said Farmer Garland, as he step
ped into the buggy in which his wifi
was already seated. Eyes. SIR" drawl
ed Peter slowly; bat he looked glum
enough as he watched his parents on
of sight and then glanced up at tn
blue sky overhead. muttering: "Stuf
and nonsense! Nobody will run away
with the house. and there is no NOR,
danger of rain than of snow. might
just as well 90 a fishing with the Other
fellows!" II, did not dare. however
10 disobey SO positive a command Of
his fathers. and pretty soon. with hi:
hands in his pockets. sauntered around
to the back of the farmhouse. to looL
at his own especial brood Of turkeys
fine young fowls. that he was raising
himself, and which. before his mind s
eye. he could already see sent to mar
ket and Transformed into the jingline
coin of the republic. and that in turn.
invested in the desire of his heart, 4
bicycle. "And Thanksgiving will see
me spinning along on my metal steed,
and Growing over all the boys" he
thought. with pride and delight.
The Garland homestead was very
old-fashiOned mansion. and in the rear
stood one of those brick Dutch ovens
in which our forefathers-or. rather.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS wont to bake their
. famous milk pies and pan dowdies;
and close to this. Peter cam, u pom his
two little sisters. deep in their Satur-
day baking. and merry as grigs. as
they concocted their pies of rich brown
mud and fresh spring water, and to
which they gave as high-sounding
names as any French chef.
What silly girls play that isl"
exclaimed Peter. as he gave one Of the
little tarts kick, making wee PLY
cry Out that he chad spoiled her best
Patty Toggarty," b. which We suppose
she meant pate le-fo;s-gras, and caused
Erassy to turn on him pair of big.
rcproachful eyes. BIta rs he leaned idly
against the fence. watching the young
cooks. he gradually becam, interested
in their employment. II, at last ex-
claimed: Here. girls. you don't know
how to make good mud pies! Yours
are ali crooked; girls never do do things
right: I'll show you how they ought to
ber' And snatching the old ham
dlelcss knife from his sisters
hands, down this pompous little
''lord of creation pumped
on the eiound and began stirring up
the earth. while poor Tressy could only
sit by and hold the cup OF water for his
lordship. and Polly's sturdy little feet
were kept busy trudging back and
forth to the Dutch oven. where these
decidedly indigestible specimens of
cookery were placed to brown.
Thus the afternoon wore away until
'Tressy. looking up. suddenly cried:
'Why. there is big bank of black
clouds coming up in the west! We are
going to have rain. and the turkeys
must be driven under shelter! But
Peter. who had now turned his .tten-
Ntion from dirt pies and was absorbed
an erecting mud fort. only said:
''Don't worry; the shower won't come
here; twill go round, most likely!'
Uneasily. Tressy waited five minutes
longer. and then. as the battalions of
clouds continued to advance. started
up. saying: 1T is best to be on the
safe side! Let us get the fowls
together. Peter!'
Il tell you it is not going to rain."
returned Peter. obstinately; ''there is
enough blue sky to make trousers for a
dozen sailors
'sWell. if you won't come 1 shall
drive pas turkeys in myself" said
Tressy. who. although usually gentle.
yielding little creature. could be firm
enough at times.
''And have your trouble for napsht
/ can tel by the way of the wind that
the shower will go round. and you
had much better stay and see me finish
my Sumter.
but Tressy thought Otherwise. and
summoning Polly. the two little girls
were soon racing all over the grounds.
driving the turkeys into the hen-house.
while Peter shouted after them:
That's right! run and tear till you
are out of breath; but don't dare to
drive one of my brood in doOrsr'
TWAS hard work to cage the wild
creatures. and the little maids were